Chip thinning calculator for solid end mills and round-insert cutters. Load an MSC Edge catalogue starting point, then adjust width of cut, feed and speed and watch the real chip thickness change.
from MSC Edge's published catalogues, used with their permission.
Source: MSC Edge Powering Performance catalogue, pp.14–15 (2 flute), 16–17 (4 flute) and 22–23 (non-ferrous) · mscdirect.co.uk/msc-edge ↗
Cutter and cut
Feed and speed
Live tested settings
End-mill settings run on the machine with MSC Edge applications engineering, for the range, size, material and operation selected in the preset box. Use carries the cutting speed, feed per tooth and the ae/ap as fractions of diameter across to any size.
How it's calculated
End mill (radial thinning). When ae is less than half the cutter diameter the flute leaves the cut before the chip reaches full thickness. Engagement angle φ = acos(1 − 2·ae/Dc), thinning factor sin φ = √(4·ae/Dc − (2·ae/Dc)²), so hex = fz × sin φ. At ae ≥ Dc/2 the factor is 1 and hex equals fz.
Fixed entering angle insert. A straight edge at KAPR thins the chip by sin KAPR, so fz = hex / sin KAPR — 1.41× at 45°, 5.8× at 10° (the Sandvik modification factors). Radial thinning can be stacked on top.
Round insert (axial thinning). Below half the insert diameter, entry angle κ = acos((IC/2 − ap)/(IC/2)) and hex = fz × sin κ. Radial thinning can be stacked on top.
n = 1000·Vc/(π·Dc) and Vf = n × Z × fz. MSC book values are the catalogue RPM and Vf for that diameter; their fz and hex are derived from those numbers with the same formulas.
About this calculator
This calculator is built and run by Infinite Engineering Ltd. Catalogue figures are taken from MSC Edge's published data with their permission; live tested settings are recorded by our team.
Expertly engineered and long‑lasting: a range of multipurpose cutting tools designed to do 80% of your machining operations with 20% of the tools, across a wide range of materials — helping you rationalise your tooling and do more with less.
Every tool is benchmarked and tested at MSC's in‑house Tech Centre. Designed to cut costs, not corners.
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